Dates

Content Topics

Essential Questions/Concepts

Activities/Assessments

Supplies

August

Understanding the environment

• What is environmental science?
• Scientific method
• Statistics
• History of conservation

• Case study
• Creation of class plan

September

Understanding the other planets

Environmental systems

• Characteristics of other planets
• Conditions necessary for life
• Current research on life on other planets

• Elements of life
• Energy types and transfer
• Photosynthesis
• Organization of life in the environment
• Food chains & webs

• Planet ad projects

• Case study
• Food web game

October

Environmental systems cont.

Lithosphere

• Biochemical cycles

• Tectonic plates
• Earth processes
• Environmental effects of resource extraction

• Earth models
• Mining activity
• Case study

November

Hydrosphere

• Hydrologic cycle
• Groundwater
• Rivers, lakes, streams
• Water availability
• Freshwater shortages
• Pollution

• Case study
• Ground water model activity

November/
December

Atmosphere

• Composition
• Climate
• Air pollution
• Clean air legislation
• Indoor air pollution

• Case study
• Acid rain research

January

Energy

• Electricity generation
• Hidden costs of electricity
• Non-renewable resources
  • coal
  • oil
  • natural gas

• Home energy audit
• School energy audit
• Energy calculations

February

• Renewable resources
  • solar, wind, water, geothermal, tides, biofuels
• Nuclear power
• Solid & hazardous waste

• Solar cells
• Hydrogen fuel cells
• Case study

April

Biomes

Stream
monitoring

Forest monitoring

• Characteristics, plants, animals, locations, climate of various terresterial biomes
• Threats to biodiversity

• Tests to determine the health of a stream
• Data analysis

• Tests to determine the health of the forest at Oak Run
• Data analysis

• Biome projects

• Stream monitoring at two sights for 4 days throughout April & May

• Forest monitoring at one sight for 2 days

May

Populations

Environmental policy

• Cultural choices
• Rate of population growth
• Demographic transition

• How is policy created?
• What can individuals do?

• Case study
• Interpreting population graphs
• Evaluation of class plan